Game apparatus



(No Model.).

I. B. WOOD. GAME APPARATUS.

Patented Sept. 22,1891.

M 11in asses;

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN B. WVOOD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,952, dated September 22, 1891.

Application filed May 6, 1891. Serial No. 391.841. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN B. WOOD, a

citizen of the United States, residing at De-.

troit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in game apparatus; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction of a game apparatus embodying a map secured upon a rigid backing and marked with the political divisions, fixed values marked upon these divisions proportioned to their political importance, two series of pins representing different political parties, adapted to fit in said sockets, and so arranged that by a series of moves a game may be played, as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a map of the United States, showing the sockets arranged to play my improved game. Fig.2 is a perspective view of the same, showing some of the pins in position; and Fig. 3 is a section through the map and backing, showing the manner of engaging the pins in the sockets.

A is a map secured in any desired manner upon a rigid backing B. Across this map are arranged sockets or apertures, the sockets being arranged in intersecting horizontal vertical lines 0 D.

E are pins having tapered ends F, adapted to fit in said sockets. There are two series of these pins either colored or marked in any suitable way to indicate two different political parties. Each political division is marked with its value-that is, in the United States each State is marked with the number of electoral votes which it is entitled to cast in a presidential election.

In arranging my game to be played with a map of the United States, some of the smaller States, such as Rhode Island or Connecticut, may not have a socket directly in them, and in order to bring them into the game I extend a series of sockets to the farthest point north and south, east and west, and connect the nearest socket, such as G, by a line, such as H, with such States, and, the pin reniaining, the socket G thus connected counts these electoral votes.

In playing the game, each party being provided with the proper number of pins marked to represent opposing political parties and the right of first play being decided in any desired manner, the first player inserts a pin in a socket, preferably choosing one of terminals of a vertical and horizontal line, such as I or J. His opponent then inserts a pin, and this is continued until one or the other has succeeded in exhausting all his pins, when the count is made. The electoral votes of each State count to that player who has a majority of pins inserted therein. During the play of the game, if one party has a pin at I and his opponent should place pins at K K K, &c., it the first player should at any time insert a pin at L, whereby the pins at K K K were inolosed between two pins I and L, the first player could remove all the pins placed at K K K" and insert in place thereof his own. As there are both vertical and horizontal series of sockets, to prevent this replacing of pins at critical points in the game requires careful playing and considerable thought. Much amusement can be had also for making a hard fight for the States which have thelargest counts, such as New York and Pennsylvania. I also preferably give a value of five to a Territory where it is won by an opposing party. For instance, if the Territory of New Mexico, which is Democratic, contain a majority of Republican points, it would count five to the Republican player. The political complexion of a Territory is determined by the party to which its territorial delegate to Congress belongs. This adds considerably to the interest of the game. Not only is the game interesting, but it is instructive, in that it instructs the players in the political value of the various States.

I do not desire to limit myself to a map of the United States and the values marked thereon of the electoral votes, for any other political division may be used,such as a map of Europe, and fixed values given to the various countries proportioned to their population, army, 85c.

Instead of marking-sockets in the wood, the game may be played without the rigid backing, if desired, by simply making an indicating-mark in place of the sockets and having the men to rest upon these marks instead of inserting in the holes. This I do not consider as desirable, however, as they are too apt to be shaken out in handling; but I desire this to be included Within the spirit of my invention.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. A game apparatus comprising a map having the divisions marked with a value proportionate to their political importance, a series of points or sockets in said map, and two series of pins representing opposing political parties and adapted to be placed on the points, substantially as described.

2. A game apparatus comprising; a map mounted on a rigid backing, having the divisions marked with value proportioned to their political importance,sockets arranged in horizontal and vertical intersecting lines, and two series of pins representing different political parties, said pins adapted to be placed in the sockets, substantially as described.

3. A game apparatus comprising a map having divisions marked with a value proportionate to their political importance and With means to designate the party in power, vertical and horizontal series of points or sockets on said map, and two series of pins representing, opposing political parties, adapted to be moved substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I attix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANKLIN B. VOOD.

\Vitnesses:

M. B. ODoennnry, JAMES \VHITTEMORE. 

